TOBIAS
by MsJanePorter
Summary: Books were her friends. Charcoal & ink her allies, music her escape and photography her outlet. So what was he? We follow Tobias from puppy-hood, witnessing as he changes the lives of his master and those around him forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Duisburg, Germany**

A German Shepherd Dam is being whelped.

Help is called in.

It is a difficult birth. One pup is lost for good.

There were five pups born to this litter. The surviving four are doing well.

* * *

 **FIVE WEEKS LATER**

A man walks into a pet store in search of a new companion. He approaches the register with an unsteady gait, aided by a cane. The attendant, a cheerful but inattentive young girl looks up from her phone in surprise at his arrival. The man asks to see if they have any dogs; she asks if he is looking for a particular breed as she walks him to the kennels.

"A German Shepherd, if you have any, please".

"You're in luck, sir. we just got a new litter in a few days ago" she says as she stops to show him to a kennel populated by the new mother and her four pups. Three puppies bark at the stranger, falling over each other in their haste to greet him. He looks over them expertly, and turns to the couple selling the puppies. "Are these all of them?"

"There is one more," The clerk says in thick German-laced English. She directs the buyer to a puppy sitting calmly by its mother, staring at him.

"Yes. I will take him." He puts a hand out and the puppy cautiously comes to him. After careful inspection of his hand, it gives him a lick.

"Hello, Tobias. I am your new master."


	2. Chapter 2

_'Life is a gift. In living we give back to those who gave us life.'_

 _'I never was certain who got the credit for that particular phrase. It was introduced to my consciousness the way things are often introduced in a dream- on a gust of wind being blown down from the heavens. That phrase; Life is a gift...'_

backspace

backspace

backspace

She'd never get anywhere with her novel sounding like this. running a hand through her hair, she sighed before reaching out and grabbing the cup of the formerly 'iced' green tea latte that she had forgotten in her haste to type. The sounds of the cafe slowly came rushing back to her as she relaxed. She heard change clinking together as the till was slammed shut, slurping and the murmur of conversation. She glanced around with tired eyes, dimly registering a tall man entering with his canine companion. It wasn't an uncommon sight at Java dog- which was why she liked coming here, all dogs were welcome.

She took to watching him for a moment. He walked into the tiny café pausing at the counter. A woman came to him for his order, the same that took hers some hours ago. What was her name? She couldn't recall.

* * *

He looked up from his phone, distracted for a moment before slipping the device into his coat pocket. Throwing a glance of admiration towards the mans four legged companion, she dropped her head on the table none too gently. The resounding thud followed was greeted none too gently by the surrounding patrons. She could hardly bring herself to care. She had more pressing issues to deal with, like the bump the size of a large egg that she was positive was going to appear on her forehead- and of course that she couldn't write.

She was a petite thing, a number of years younger than himself, and had bright eyes that spoke too much of inexperience in the real world. Her green blouse was unbuttoned all the way, revealing a camisole that revealed almost too much cleavage. Her apron was slightly askew, and her black pants clung a bit too much. At the moment, she was fumbling around herself, patting herself down for a pen.

He gave her the one that he had tucked away in his jacket. Her gaze snapped up at the simple gesture with a confused look, and then smiled at him, although not looking at him once. "Thank you," she said, taking the pen from him. Her name tag said Nikki in pink lettering, quite fitting for her messy bun of rosette hair.

Finally composed, she asked him, "Are you ready, sir?" Indeed, he was ready. Ready to puke at the absolute innocence that radiated off of her. But, he didn't say that. "A venti green tea latte."

"Anything else?" she asked as she wrote the order down.

"No."

"I'll be back with your drink." She walked all of three steps away from the counter before realizing she stole his pen and hurried back to lay it on the table. "Sorry," she mumbled before rushing off again.

 _Buzzing at his hip._

Once more he pulled out his phone. Why he had purchased one of these was beyond him at times. Incessant ringing all day long. Did people have nothing better to do than bother him? The girl stood before him in a nervous flush. She offered him an apologetic smile, motioning to his pen which she had laid on the counter in front of him. Thinking of the germs on it, he hid a flinch, telling her to keep the pen, before re-engrossing himself with the text that had multiplied. A quick glance at the sender revealed the cause of his misery; Nigel Carter. His best mate.

He was torn from his thoughts by Nikki who stood before him, drink in hand. Handing over his debit card and license to Nikki for inspection, his hand snaked out for his drink and as he sipped, he looked up at Nikki, who was still studying him, showing no signs of relinquishing his possessions. "Is there a problem, Nikki?" he asked rather gruffly, taking slight offense to her stare.

"Er, no, no." she said, flustered. She opened her mouth as if to say more. Silently she prayed that she wouldn't speak again.

During this small exchange, he guessed that his hold on the lead must have loosened. There was a startled shriek followed by a thud behind him. Nikki forgotten behind him, he scanned the cafe's one room and found his dog laying atop a flailing mass. Further inspection revealed the dog atop a girl. He took in that her drink had been spilled though thankfully away from the sleek laptop perched at her table.

He turned back to Nikki who was flushed once again under his gaze. "Refresh her drink."

* * *

"Tobias. Come." Those were the only two words she heard over the dogs panting. By the magic of speech, the dogs crushing weight was lifted off her and she lay there for a moment winded. She opened her eyes to search for the canine and was greeted instead by a hand. She took it and was raised effortlessly to her feet.

Finished dusting herself off, she turned to thank the man only to see his back walking away from her. How rude. She went to sit once again on the cushioned bench that ran the length of the windowed store front, the opposite side of the table were metal work chairs. Sprawled out on the bench next to her was the man's dog, his lead falling forgotten to the floor.

She closed her computer, pushing it aside, her full attention turned to the gorgeous canine at her side.

"Whose such a handsome boy? Are you the handsome boy- yes you are!"

She was in the process of talking mushy baby-talk to the dog when someone cleared their throat behind her. She turned, The dogs master stood at her table. He held two cups of green drink up.

"I apologise for any inconvenience Tobias may have caused you." Only after he set one of the cups in front of her did she actually look at him for the first time. His hands looked smooth—perhaps smoother than hers. Metal scraped concrete as he took a seat.

"Oh, he hasn't been any trouble at all- have you Tobias?" she cooed, smashing the dogs face between her hands. She turned her attention back to the man, one hand absently petting his dog. "He's beautiful." It was a simple statement, but to her writers mind not nearly adequate enough to describe him. Tobias she saw was not unlike his master. Sort of regal looking. Exquisite.

The suit he wore, tailored as it was, did nothing but exaggerate how wiry the man before her was. To bind his appearance to the boundaries of the English language is an unthinkable act. His beauty is unmatched by even the most radiant of gods- his hair, midnight black, was straight and sleek, yet it fell softly in valiant streams as dark and awe-striking as a new moon in a cloudless night sky. His eyes resembled the cold glittering onyx pendant that she wore on a cord looped around her neck. Thin, smooth lips curled into a half smile, exposing teeth so straight and white. Prominent cheekbones sat high on his face framing an aquiline nose.

"Indeed, he is."

"Thank you for my drink, Mr. ...?"

"Talbot. Sebastian Talbot." He pauses for a moment as if pondering his next question, "And you are...?"

"A pleasure, I'm sure Mr. Talbot. My name is Nora. Nora Bradford."


End file.
